Actor
Sidharth
Malhotra,
who
will
be
seen
playing
the
role
of
Kargil
hero
Vikram
Batra
in
the
upcoming
film
Shershaah,
says
he
is
fortunate
to
have
been
chosen
to
play
the
real-life
hero
on-screen.
The
biographical
war
drama,
directed
by
noted
south
film
director
Vishnuvaradhan,
narrates
the
life
story
of
Captain
Batra
and
how
he
led
the
charge
of
his
troops
during
the
1999
Kargil
war.
He
was
given
the
highest
wartime
gallantry
award
Param
Vir
Chakra
posthumously.
In
the
film,
Malhotra
will
be
seen
in
the
double
role
of
Captain
Vikram
Batra
and
his
twin
brother
Vishal
Batra.
"This
day
is
extremely
emotional
for
me.
We
started
this
journey
five
years
ago
with
Vishal
Batra
ji.
This
is
my
first
film
where
I
have
portrayed
the
life
of
a
real-life
hero.
Shershaah
has
been
an
experience
bigger
than
a
film," Malhotra
said
Sunday
at
the
trailer
launch
event
of
the
film
at
the
National
Horse
Polo
Ground
here
in
Drass
town
on
the
eve
of
the
22nd
Kargil
Vijay
Diwas.
"I
would
like
to
thank
the
Indian
Army...
This
story
is
about
true,
real-life
heroes
like
you.
And
I
consider
myself
lucky
that
I
got
to
play
him," the
36-year-old
actor
added.
Shershaah,
which
borrows
its
title
from
the
martyr's
codename,
also
stars
Kiara
Advani.
Advani,
who
plays
Dimple
Cheema
-
the
romantic
interest
of
Captain
Vikram
Batra
in
the
film,
said
working
on
the
film
transformed
her
on
a
personal
level.
"Some
films
change
you
professionally
but
there
are
some
that
change
you
personally.
Shershaah
is
that
film
for
me.
Thank
you
to
the
Batra
family,
Dimple
and
everyone
who
made
this
possible
for
us.
I
will
forever
be
grateful.
We
can't
wait
to
share
this
with
the
world,"
she
said.
The
28-year-old
actor
also
expressed
her
gratitude
towards
the
Indian
Army.
"I
am
quite
nervous
right
now
because
I
am
standing
in
front
of
the
Indian
Army
for
the
first
time.
No
amount
of
words
would
justify
the
gratitude
we
all
have
in
it
hearts
for
each
of
you.
I
would
also
like
to
thank
the
families
here.
We
salute
you
for
your
support,
prayers
and
for
being
true
pillars
of
strength
for
men
and
women
in
uniform,"
she
added.
Director
Vishnuvardhan,
who
makes
his
directorial
debut
in
Hindi
cinema
with
Shershaah,
is
credited
with
making
successful
Tamil
movies
like
Arinthum
Ariyamalum,
Pattiyal,
and
Billa,
among
others.
Directing
a
film
inspired
by
the
life
of
Captain
Batra
was
"once
in
a
lifetime
opportunity"
for
him,
Vishnuvardhan
said.
"Apart
from
reading
and
knowing
about
him
(Captain
Batra),
it
was
the
experience
of
meeting
the
people,
all
the
officers,
who
fought
by
him,"
he
said.
The
director
said
the
team
has
tried
to
stay
true
to
the
events
of
the
1999
war.
"We
never
thought
we
would
shoot
in
Kargil.
We
would
imagine
how
it
would
have
been
during
the
war.
Every
time
we
would
shoot,
we
could
see
it
all
coming
alive.
What
we
filmed
on
those
heights
is
nothing
compared
to
what
the
Indian
Army
achieved
at
that
time.
So,
we
have
tried
to
bring
everything
possible
on
screen,"
he
added.
Shershaah
is
scheduled
to
be
released
on
August
12
on
Amazon
Prime
Video.
The
film
is
jointly
produced
by
Dharma
Productions
and
Kaash
Entertainment.
Vijay
Subramaniam,
Director
and
Head,
Content,
Amazon
Prime
Video,
India,
said
when
Dharma
Productions
approached
him
to
release
on
the
streaming
platform,
it
was
an
instant
yes
from
their
team.
"Dharma
Productions
and
I
share
warm
relationship
and
when
they
asked
us
about
this
film,
we
instantly
said
yes.
It
is
a
unique
experience,"
Subramanian
said,
adding
the
film
will
have
a
wider
release
in
more
than
200
countries.
It
was
producer
Shabbir
Boxwala,
who
first
learnt
about
Captain
Batra
and
approached
his
family
to
make
a
film
on
him.
"In
the
first
meeting,
they
agreed
to
give
the
rights
of
(the
life
of)
Vikram
Batra
and
that
was
the
happiest
day
of
my
life.
They
are
part
of
the
family
now.
The
support
of
the
Indian
Army
and
his
family
was
very
essential
and
unconditional,"
Boxwala
added.
The
trailer
launch
was
also
attended
by
Chief
of
Defence
Staff
General
Bipin
Rawat,
Northern
Army
Commander
Lieutenant
General
Y
K
Joshi,
filmmakers
Karan
Johar,
Apoorva
Mehta
and
the
family
members
of
Kargil
war
veterans,
several
soldiers
and
officers.
Before
the
event,
homage
was
paid
to
the
heroes
of
the
Kargil
war
by
Army
personnel
and
a
group
of
school
children,
who
sang
popular
patriotic
songs
like
"Chak
De!
India",
"Ab
Tumhare
Hawale
Watan
Sathiyon",
"Teri
Mitti",
and
"Ae
Watan".